My areas of interest are biogeography and evolutionary biology. My research in arid regions started in 2008 in the M.Sc. program in Biodiversity, Genetics and Evolution hosted by CIBIO/UP and FCUP, during which I focused in the phylogeography and biogeography of Agama lizards in North Africa. Working as a research technician in 2010/2011 allowed expanding my focus to other classes of vertebrates, mostly herpetofauna and ichthyofauna in Mauritania. Currently I am pursuing a Ph.D. in InBIO (UP) and IBE (CSIC-UPF, Barcelona) in which I further investigate evolutionary processes and patterns in desert herpetofauna from West Africa, mostly by analysing biogeographical patterns at different spatial and time scales using GIS, ecological niche-based models and genetics. In my projects, I try to find a balance among exploration, conservation, learning and hypothesis-based scientific thinking that can keep me motivated every day.
Up to this day I have participated in 10 scientific papers, and accumulated more than 200 days of field work in North Africa, especially in Sahara and Sahel. I also presented my work in several international congresses, and got projects funded by SYNTHESYS programme and MBZ Species Conservation Fund.

Useful Links:

Research ID: http://www.researcherid.com/rid/H-7868-2012

ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4299-0375